So, Sima Ruchel (Samantha Rochelle) named after her great-grandmother on her mother's side and her parents are BTs. Her husband Yankel Fishchel Simcha Boruch is from a FFB family.

Yankel knows Sima is Jewish- she attended Bais Yaakov, etc. but his parents have are asking questions about her yichus, after reading the NYT Magazine article which scared them to the core.

Yankel's parents want proof that Sima is really Jewish. Actually, Yankel's parents want to see all the ketubot from Sima's maternal line.

Sima's great-grandparents from all accounts, and the fact that they had her great-grandfather's (maternal) tefillin from Europe were traditionally observant Jews. Sima's family didn't keep any records or anything like that. When the great-grandparents came to the US they register their 6 kids in public school, some remained traditional, others became involved Arbeiter Ring. Sima's maternal grandparents Rosie (Shoshana) and Itzik (Yitzchak Dov Baer) met at a Arbeiter Ring social event, and later married. Rosie and Itzik didn't raise their daughter Beverly in a traditional, religious home- but it was a home that celebrated Jewish culture.

Do things like this happen?

In terms of all of the invasive questions asked in the traditional circles these days by [crazed] shadchanim and parents, this would take the cake. At the same rate, with the increase of intermarriage or improper ketubot this may be the next trend.